Wow, it must be election time. Brevard Commissioner Curt Smith now wants to raid the tourist tax to help the lagoon. Why did he fight Rep. Randy Fine when Fine suggested this? No election then.

When you look at his proposal, it is not really anything that will clean the lagoon. So what else has Smith done, or not done? Voted for every budget and tax increase, yep. Solved road issues, nope. Approved reinstatement of impact taxes to fix infrastructure, nope. Followed everything his business cronies wanted, yep. Initiated action to change Mathers Bridge opening hurting boaters and helping millionaire homeowners, yep.

I listened to Smith campaign last time; believed him then and voted for him. But his actions speak louder than his words. Time for a new commissioner.

George Nebeling, Indian Harbour Beach

U.S. interferes in elections everywhere

The incredible array of political outrage over Russian attempts to interfere in our 2016 presidential election is naïve, when you consider how frequently the U.S. interferes in elections around the world.

The United States has a well-documented history of interfering in and sometimes interrupting national elections. President Barack Obama was severely criticized in 2015 for interfering in Israel’s election of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, though independent fact-checking group Politifact said the money the Obama administration sent to OneVoice, a group that promoted a two-state solution, was before the election was called and was not intended for the purposes of opposing Netanyahu at the polls.

Other examples include U.S. attempts to influence elections in Haiti, Kenya, Macedonia, Libya, Honduras and Egypt.

According to a Bernie Sanders supporter interviewed for a July 2016 Huffington Post article, “the U.S. has been meddling in other countries’ elections for a century." Lakewood, Colorado, delegate Kim Netherton said, in reference to Hillary Clinton, “isn’t it interesting that her campaign is now experiencing the same thing that she perpetrated on other countries? It’s a little bit of her own medicine ...”

As for the claim that Russia interfered in our democratic process, the U.S. is not now and never has been a democracy. Despite constant political references to us as a democracy, the U.S. is a representative republic. One need only recite the Pledge of Allegiance to confirm that. It says “… and to the Republic for which it stands.” It does not say “…and to the Democracy for which it stands."

Donald L. Gilleland, Suntree

Dear GOP ...

I sent the following letter to Congressman Trey Gowdy and several other top Republicans, and now send it as an open letter to Republican leaders.

Like you, I have always belonged to the Republican Party. I voted for Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush, and voted for Marco Rubio in the 2016 primary. I did not support Donald Trump then and even less so now.

You are backing the wrong horse. Trump is dirty. It is my belief that Russia has financial control over President Trump due to his real estate investments. He has hundreds of millions of dollars of debt to Deutsche Bank from past investments, and that bank has been proved to be a conduit for Russian money laundering. You will recall that Deutsche Bank recently was fined $630 million dollars for laundering Russian money. You may also recall that Eric Trump told a Golf Digest reporter that the Trump golf courses built in the middle of the real estate slump were financed by Russian money. There have been reports that up to $3 billion has been funneled into Trump properties.

This country is in a desperate situation. President Trump’s performance in Helsinki bordered on treason, with him denying that Russia’s attack on our election occurred right in front of President Putin. You are correct in your assertion that Mr. Mueller’s investigation should be wrapped up quickly, and it should conclude with the impeachment and removal of President Trump.

Gerald Stein, Melbourne

... And a letter for Rep. Posey

An open letter to Rep. Bill Posey: I want to remind you that you represent the people of Florida, not just the Republicans.

I want to remind you that many believe the Democrats will score big this fall because of POTUS Trump.

I firmly believe that a poll of the people of Florida would reveal that a majority think like I do: Congress should demand that Mr. Trump resign.

That demand should have a warning attached. Resign or be impeached. What next? Ruin our relationships with NATO, the EU, the UK, and major trading partners in aluminum and steel?

It is not too late to mend fences with our allies, but another two years of Mr. Trump and it may be very, very difficult.